24/09/16

-

Chanyeol

~

They’re bringing in a new client today. They say he’s a special case. I lean back in my chair and sigh, wondering if he really is. The sun is shining outside, and I’d much rather be playing basketball with Yifan, or strumming a guitar out on the patio with Yixing right about now, but instead am confined to my spacious yet somehow small-feeling office once more, the walls suffocating me slowly.

There’s a sharp rap at my door, and a few seconds later, Yifan is sticking his head in with a folder clutched in his hand.

“Change of plans,” he states briskly, stepping in and handing me the folder.

“The patient’s coming in early, so make sure you read that information-” he gestures to the folder briefly, in explanation. “And know what you’re dealing with. He’s very important, and very special.”

I blink slightly, taken aback with all the information.

“Why- when’s he coming in?”

Yifan hums, pulling his sleeve up to check his watch.

“He’s coming at quarter past twelve, which is in approximately… ten minutes from now.”

My jaw drops in disbelief, and he gives me an apologetic look.

“Sorry, there’s nothing we could do about it. I’ll explain later. For now, you better get reading.”

With that, and a rough pat on the shoulder, he’s whisking out of the room again, leaving me in silence.

I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath before leaning forward to take the folder, skimming through it while taking in as much information as I can.

Byun Baekhyun, age 16.

Born May 6, 2000.

Currently attending Joongdong High School.

I can hear faint chatter downstairs and I shake my head, trying to concentrate on the papers in my hands. He’s quite young, I wonder why and how he’s getting such expensive attention. Obviously he comes from a well-off family, judging by the fact that my treatment is insanely expensive and he attends one of the most expensive and prestigious schools in the country.

Adopted, biological parents’ whereabouts unknown.

Condition/s: Con eye cataracts, con hearing impairment, mutism.

I frown at that, confused at the lack of elaboration on his muteness. After a moment’s hesitation, I lean forward and pick up the phone, dialling Yifan. He picks up after precisely one ring, answering softly.

“Yes?”

“Why is there no info on his mutism?”

There’s a silence on the other side.

“No one knows anything about him. That’s the most they can give us.”

I sputter, blinking rapidly.

“What?”

There’s a soft sigh, and rustling.

“Look, no one wants to treat him, they all say that there’s too much wrong with him. His parents, the adopted ones, they have a lot of money. They’re desperate, so it’s up to you to help him.”

“Yifan, I can’t do this without any informa-”

“Look, there’s no time. I can see their car coming in right now. If you have any questions, you can ask when they come in, okay? Be ready, I’ll be there with him in two minutes.”

With that, he hangs up, leaving me gaping and irritated.

-

Sure enough, there’s a knock on the door a few minutes later, and I look up to see Yifan head in with a blank expression, followed by a frail figure that I assume is Baekhyun.

He’s unbelievably small, swathed in a light grey sweater that only makes him seem even tinier.

His eyes are lidded, pink lips forming soundless words, mouthing into thin air as he clings to Yifan’s arm desperately.

Byun Baekhyun is beautiful, that’s for sure. He’s beautiful in a melancholy sort of way.

I clear my throat, standing up to make my presence known. Baekhyun jumps at the sudden movement, head snapping up to slightly squint at me. He mouths something to himself before timidly hiding behind Yifan.

I plaster a warm smile onto my face, even though I know that he won’t be able to see it, stepping out from behind my table to near him.

“Baekhyun,” I say softly but clearly, enunciating my words.

“Baekhyun, can you hear me?”

Yifan gently pushes Baekhyun in front of him, keeping a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Baekhyun flinches slightly, eyelids fluttering as his lips tremble over silent words. Yifan leaves silently, leaving Baekhyun alone with me, and I step closer.

“Can you hear me right now, Baekhyun?”

His eyes flutter at my voice, but there’s confusion in the crease of his eyebrows, and I realise that he hears me, but he doesn’t understand. Instead, I opt to slowly reach out a hand towards him, hesitating when he shies away. He’s obviously still trying to make sense of his surroundings, so I give him some time before trying again, reaching my hand towards him. I remember learning tactile sign language back in college, and find myself glad that I did. I put a warm hand over his small one, and he freezes for a moment before supposedly understanding my intentions and nodding to himself slightly, and clasping my hand with his thin ones, fingers fluttering over the back of my hand faintly.

‘Can you understand me?’ I sign to him, and he gives me a faint nod, eyelids fluttering rapidly as his fingers dart along my skin.

‘My name is Chanyeol.’ I tell him, taking the time to spell out my name slowly, and he nods again, lips trembling slightly.

‘I’m here to help you, Baekhyun,’ I sign, and he nods a third time. I hesitate a moment before signing the next sentence.

‘And I’m not going to give up,’

At that, the edges of his lips curve up into an almost indecipherable smile, and his hand lets go of mine to creep up to my face. He cups my cheek softly, lips moving around silent words as he looks up at me through closed lids, mouthing a small I hope so that sends my own lips curving upwards into a beam.

-

The second time I see Baekhyun, it’s two days later, and he’s swathed in another huge sweater, this time a cream white. He pats the back of my hand softly in greeting, lips curving up into a hesitant smile.

‘You feeling okay today?’ I ask him, and he taps the back of my hand three times in response. It’s a code that we made up on our first meeting, to make our conversations easier.

Two taps for no, three taps for yes, four taps for everything is okay, and five for when he needs help.

We don’t do much this meeting, simply opting for some small games and getting to know each other. He’s still shy, so I don’t want to push him too far.

Baekhyun particularly enjoys a certain game involving scent, where we have different items on the table, such as a rose or an orange, and we have to guess what the object is through just the smell, without touching or seeing it.

It’s not really a fair game, seeing as Baekhyun’s sense of smell is unnaturally good due to his dulled other senses.

I don’t mind it though, because I feel like I’ve made some progress whenever I see the small smiles adorn his face when he gets one of them correct (which is almost always).

I hold up a lemon-scented car air freshener to his face, and he sniffs slightly, eyebrows furrowing marginally before a triumphant expression appears on his face.

‘Got it.’ he signs victoriously.

‘It’s lemon.’

I’m about to correct him that it’s lemon air freshener happily, but he holds up a hand to stop me before I can say anything.

‘It’s lemon, but it smells t